Offline Smartphone Battle Heats Up: vivo, OPPO, and Honor Vie for New Market Opportunities

Offline Smartphone Battle Heats Up: vivo, OPPO, and Honor Vie for New Market OpportunitiesIn October, major smartphone manufacturers including Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Honor all updated their flagship series, bringing new technologies and designs that were truly eye-catching. Now, in November, brands like vivo, OPPO, and Honor are gearing up to launch new devices

Offline Smartphone Battle Heats Up: vivo, OPPO, and Honor Vie for New Market Opportunities

In October, major smartphone manufacturers including Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Honor all updated their flagship series, bringing new technologies and designs that were truly eye-catching. Now, in November, brands like vivo, OPPO, and Honor are gearing up to launch new devices. However, these are not flagship series, but rather targeted at the "offline smartphone" market.

On November 6th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) granted network access certification for four new Honor models, which are said to be the Honor 300 and Honor 300 Pro. Just two days prior, vivo's S20 series received similar network access permission. Meanwhile, renowned tech blogger Digital Chat Station has revealed that the OPPOReno13 series is slated for release later this month. It is expected to continue the "fruit-flavored" design strategy seen in the FindX8 series and feature a popular Chinese member from a new generation girl group as its brand ambassador.

Since Honor's 100 series brought flagship technologies to the offline smartphone market last year, other manufacturers have started paying renewed attention to this often-overlooked segment. They are emulating Honor's approach, leading to intense competition. This new wave of offline smartphone updates following the release of flagship products could push the battle to a fever pitch.

vivo, OPPO, and Honor: Clashing in the Offline Market

Unlike flagship and performance-oriented smartphones, offline smartphones tend to emphasize features like portrait photography, design, and build quality. This aligns perfectly with OPPO and vivo's strengths. However, when Honor introduced features like eye protection, long battery life, and robust construction into its digital series, it shifted market preferences. The current offline smartphone market is arguably even more competitive than the flagship smartphone segment.

1. vivo S20: Focusing on Design and Durability

Like its predecessor, the vivo S20 series comes in two models: the S20 and the S20 Pro. The former is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, while the latter boasts a Dimensity 9300 mobile platform. In terms of performance, there isn't much of an improvement. However, the S20 series boasts innovative design elements and will switch to a 1.5K straight screen. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that vivo is not planning to release a small-screen version of the S series this time, which might disappoint those hoping for a more compact device.

vivo has already made adjustments to the S series' positioning with the previous S19 series. For example, the standard S19 model prioritizes durability with a larger battery capacity and faster charging speeds. The network access information suggests that the standard S20 will feature a new generation Blue Ocean battery with approximately 6500mAh capacity and support fast charging at 90W, while maintaining a slim profile at 7.19mm.

2. Honor 300 Series: Enhanced Portrait Photography with "YaGu" Algorithm

Honor is also adopting the durability route. Both the standard and Pro models of the Honor 300 series will be equipped with a 6000mAh battery. The standard model will feature a straight screen, while the Pro version will sport a slightly curved display. As for performance, we can expect familiar combinations of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processors.

Honor's digital series gained widespread acclaim for introducing the "YaGu" portrait algorithm in the previous generation. Building on that success, subsequent releases like the Magic6 Ultimate Edition and Magic7 series also adopted this portrait photography solution. The Honor 300 series will also receive a new iteration of the YaGu algorithm, along with hardware upgrades. Specifically, the Honor 300 Pro will be the first to incorporate a new periscope telephoto lens, significantly enhancing zoom capabilities and portrait photography skills.

3. OPPOReno13 Series: "Fruity" Aesthetics and Live Photo Support

The OPPOReno13 series continues the lineage established by the FindX8 series, prioritizing aesthetics and photographyin other words, maintaining the "fruit-flavored" approach. Digital Chat Station has revealed that the Reno13 standard version will reposition its rear camera module vertically on the left side, essentially aiming for an iPhone 16-like appearance. However, considering the Reno13 series' mid-range positioning, its hardware will likely make compromises in other areas.

The Reno13 series will be the first to feature the Dimensity 8350 mobile platform. Based on its name, this should be an upgraded version of the Dimensity 8300. However, we'll need official data from MediaTek to understand the specific enhancements. In terms of photography, the entire Reno13 series will come standard with a large-sensor 50MP main camera and support Live Photo across all focal lengths. The FindX8 series' popular Fuji filters will also be included in this series.

It's evident that this year, while offline smartphones continue to emphasize photography, slim form factors, and build quality, each manufacturer has its own primary focus. vivo and Honor both prioritize portrait photography and large battery capacities, but the vivo S20 series retains portrait flash, giving it an edge in nighttime portrait photography. Honor, on the other hand, boasts the exclusive Oasis eye protection technology and a more user-friendly AI system. OPPO, meanwhile, is fully embracing the "fruity" family, crafting hit models tailored to Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) users, filling market gaps in the 2-4K price range that FindX8 series can't reach.

Appealing to Offline Consumers: Manufacturers Pull Out All the Stops

For many internet users, the offline smartphone strategy of prioritizing aesthetics over performance and peripheral features is simply unacceptable. For instance, the vivo S19, starting at 3299 yuan, could be replaced with an iQOO Neo9S Pro+ offering superior performance, and even larger storage and RAM at the same price.

But does this mean that offline smartphones lack any appeal? Absolutely not. Offline smartphones have always emphasized aesthetics, and a key element of aesthetics is a lightweight design. This compels manufacturers to explore ways to balance slimness with battery life. Currently, the vivo S series and the Honor digital series both utilize flagship-grade Blue Ocean batteries and Qinghai Lake batteries. These are negative silicon anode batteries, known for their high energy density and fast charging capabilities.

This year, offline smartphones have taken durability to a new level. Beyond extending battery life, they are also focusing on robust construction. The recently released OPPO K12 Plus is a perfect example. It not only boasts IP68 dust and water resistance but also offers ten-sided drop resistance, passing durability tests with flying colors.

Many consumers prioritize first impressions when purchasing a phone offline. Put simply, they are looking for the most immediate and tangible features like screen brilliance and grip feel. For many consumers, a single photo can be enough to spark a purchase decision. This brings us to the offline smartphone imaging strategy.

Over the past two or three years, offline smartphones have focused on portrait photography, typically using a combination of a main camera and a 2x telephoto lens. However, with flagship phones constantly expanding their telephoto capabilities, there's a noticeable hardware gap. The Honor 300 series is the first to feature a telephoto lens, currently anticipated to be a 3x periscope telephoto lens, offering a significant advantage in portrait photography and zoom capabilities.

Another "unconventional" approach might be OPPO's. Since the Reno12 series ushered in the Little Red Book era of Live Photo, Android manufacturers have embraced the Live Photo ecosystem. With this feature's vibrant appeal, the Reno12 series became the best-selling offline phone of its generation. Building on the success of the Reno12 series, the FindX8 series has not held back, whether it's enabling AirDrop sharing with Apple devices or supporting Fuji filters. These features are clearly geared towards Little Red Book users.

Industry insiders report that the FindX8 series achieved ten times higher first-sale figures compared to the previous X7 series. This product positioning strategy has yielded success for OPPO. Currently, the three vintage filters of the OPPO FindX8 series remain exclusive to new devices and are not available on the FindX7 series. This implies that OPPO might be strategically reserving these features for the Reno13 series, aiming to dominate the 2-4K price segment.

Despite their individual strategies, offline markets remain a key battleground for smartphone brands. These relatively low-cost models offer considerable profit margins. TechInsight's market report reveals that China's smartphone shipments reached 65.7 million units in the third quarter of 2024, representing a 3% year-on-year increase. vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, and Honor currently occupy the top four positions. Considering that the third quarter is a period of transition between old and new flagship models, offline smartphones are undoubtedly the driving force behind these sales figures.

Balanced Offline Smartphone Market Benefits the Entire Industry

Consumers' demand for quality and design often incentivizes manufacturers to research and develop new technologies. For example, to maintain their competitiveness in the flagship market, they accelerate hardware iterations, while these advanced technologies quickly trickle down to mid-range and high-end products, making technology accessible to a wider audience. The Honor digital series, the vivo S series, and the OPPOR